Oliver Farmer House

Oliver Farmer House
Oliver Farmer House
Circa 1973 by MACRIS
Address 336 Boston Rd
MACRIS ID BIL.158
Built 1760
Owners Oliver Farmer (None - 1798)
Oliver Farmer (1711 - None)


The Oliver Farmer House is a colonial farmhouse on the east side of Boston Road, south of the Town Center, and the oldest Farmer house still standing. The land was the homestead of Edward Farmer, the first of the family in Billerica. On Dec. 10, 1711 Edward and his wife Mary gave it to their son Oliver Farmer (the elder) "in consideration of that parental love and affection which we have and do bear": "our homestead ... sixty and four acres ... with one dwelling house barn stables and outhousing and orcharding," bounded south by the homesteads of Thomas Dutton and John Jefts, north by the highway to Mill Swamp and west by the Concord River, the parents keeping the use of half for their lives (the deed was not recorded until 1724). When Edward died in 1727 his estate held no land, and when Oliver the elder died in 1761 his inventory listed only ten acres of woodland west of the river: the homestead had already passed, by a gift that was never recorded, to his son Oliver (1728-1814).

The present house was very probably built by the younger Oliver, perhaps about the time of his marriage in 1757. A deed of the next lot south, dated April 20, 1789, begins "at the corner of the wall northwesterly near Oliver Farmer's House," with Timothy Foster's house beside it; the Foster place was the old Dutton homestead, the so-called "Farmer garrison" that Hazen mentions, which was not a garrison. Oliver's brother Edward lived farther north, near Pollard and Floyd Streets, and the genealogist John Farmer (1789-1838), author of the "Historical Memoir of Billerica" (1816), was Oliver's grandson.

Oliver passed the farm to his son Jeremiah in two deeds. On Jan. 11, 1796 he gave him half of "my homestead containing fifty acres more or less with a dwelling house and barn thereon," bounded west by the county road from Chelmsford to Boston, south by Timothy Foster and Solomon Pollard, east by William Patten and north by Edward Farmer, with land across the road down to the river; on June 11, 1798 he deeded "the other half," the first piece being "that whereon my buildings stand lying easterly of the county road." Neither deed was recorded until 1835. Jeremiah married Clarissa Foster, the daughter of the next-door neighbor.

Jeremiah Farmer died early in 1836 without a will, owing more than his personal estate, and the Probate Court licensed his widow Clarissa to sell the homestead, about 44 acres "with the buildings thereon." On March 20, 1837 she sold it at auction on the premises to Seth Crosby for $1,450; on Oct. 12, 1837 Crosby passed it to Bill Russell for $1,700, and Clarissa released her own interest to Russell for $250. Clarissa and her son Timothy F. Farmer stayed on the Foster place next door. Contrary to the MACRIS inventory form, the farm was not broken up. After Russell's death in 1842 his administrator sold "the homestead of the said Bill Russell deceased containing about fifty acres" at auction to Benjamin Beard 2d (1843), who sold a 16 acre strip on the north to Asa N. Brown and mortgaged the rest as "the Farmer Place," with "a dwelling house & barn." The house and about 25 acres then changed hands often: James P. Rice (1847), Samuel Rice (1849), James P. Rice again (1850), Henry Sperry (1851), John H. Keyes of Boston (1852), Eben Haskell (1858), Charles J. Atkinson of Chelsea (1864), Benjamin J. Gilbert and William K. Phelps of Boston (1865), and, through the guardian of the Phelps children, Frederick Dickson (1872), the "F. Dixon" of the 1875 atlas. The "T. Farrier" read on the 1853 map was not an owner; the label most likely belongs to T. F. Farmer's house next door.

Dickson sold "a certain farm and the buildings thereon near the centre of said Billerica. Containing twenty five acres" to Charles H. Stackpole in 1875, and Stackpole sold it to John M. Bailey in 1879. In 1885 Bailey granted the Boston and Lowell Railroad a right of way two rods wide across the farm for its Bedford and Billerica branch, which still marks the back line of the lot, and bought a small strip on the south from Jane L. Farmer. After Bailey's death his widow Phebe J. Bailey sold the farm at auction in 1901 and took it back in her own name; her executor sold it in 1921 to Cassius W. and Mabel S. White. In November 1941 the widowed Mabel White had the house lot surveyed (Plan Book 64, Plan 61, showing the house, barn, milk room and coops) and sold the 114,300 square feet between Boston Road and the railroad to George S. Flint, the rest of the farm going to Edward T. Murphy. Flint straightened the north line with his neighbor in 1946, added a strip on the south in 1952, and sold the four-acre lot to private owners in 1966. In 2004 it was divided, the house remaining on Lot A of 2.59 acres (Plan Book 214, Plan 33), which was sold in 2020 to JM & SH Realty, LLC. In 2022 the Town took easements along the frontage for the reconstruction of Boston Road (Route 3A).



Oliver Farmer House
Plan of Land in Billerica, Mass., Belonging to Mrs. Mabel S. White, 1941 (Plan 64/61)
Oliver Farmer House
Plan of Land, Boston Road, Billerica, Massachusetts, 2004 (Plan 214/33)


References

  1. MACRIS BIL.158
  2. Hazen, History of Billerica (1883): the Farmer family and the "Farmer garrison"


Title References

Date Type Grantor Grantee Summary Recorded
November 26, 1724 Deed of Gift Edward Farmer of Billerica, yeoman, and Mary his wife Their son Oliver Farmer (the elder), husbandman 24/196 (South)
1727 Administration Estate of Edward Farmer of Billerica, yeoman His son Oliver Farmer (the elder), husbandman, administrator Probate #7178
1761 Administration Estate of Oliver Farmer the elder, of Billerica His son Edward Farmer, yeoman, administrator Probate #7202
May 31, 1791 Executors' Deed (abutting lot) Joshua Abbot, yeoman, and Jonathan Stickney, gentleman, executors of the will of William Stickney Esq. Timothy Foster of Billerica, tailor 104/424 (South)
March 5, 1835 Warranty (undivided half) Oliver Farmer of Billerica, yeoman Jeremiah Farmer of Billerica, yeoman, his son 339/70 (South)
March 5, 1835 Warranty (undivided half) Oliver Farmer of Billerica, yeoman Jeremiah Farmer of Billerica, yeoman, his son 339/72 (South)
1836 Estate administration (license to sell) Jeremiah Farmer of Billerica, yeoman, deceased intestate Clarissa Farmer, widow and administratrix, for Sarah C. and Timothy F. Farmer, minor children and only heirs Probate #7187
March 18, 1841 Administratrix's Deed Clarissa Farmer of Billerica, widow and administratrix of the estate of Jeremiah Farmer Seth Crosby of Billerica, yeoman 401/542 (South)
May 18, 1841 Quitclaim Seth Crosby of Billerica, yeoman, with Mary his wife releasing dower Bill Russell of Billerica, Esquire 401/544 (South)
May 18, 1841 Warranty Deed Clarissa Farmer of Billerica, widow of Jeremiah Farmer Bill Russell of Billerica, Esquire 401/545 (South)
1842 Administration Estate of Bill Russell of Billerica, Esquire, deceased intestate Albert H. Nelson of Woburn, administrator Probate #40891
February 4, 1843 Administrator's Deed Albert H. Nelson of Woburn, counsellor at law, administrator of Bill Russell Benjamin Beard 2d of Billerica 426/87 (South)
May 6, 1843 Deed (part) Benjamin Beard 2d of Billerica, yeoman, with Sarah his wife releasing dower Asa N. Brown of Billerica, yeoman 428/145 (South)
1844 Mortgage Benjamin Beard 2d of Billerica, yeoman, with Sarah P. his wife Phebe Russell of Lexington, widow of Bill Russell 439/136 (South)
October 18, 1847 Mortgage James P. Rice of Charlestown, yeoman Benjamin Beard 2d of Charlestown, yeoman 511/328 (South)
October 18, 1847 Warranty Deed Benjamin Beard 2d of Charlestown, yeoman, widower James P. Rice of Charlestown, yeoman 511/330 (South)
March 20, 1849 Warranty Deed James P. Rice of Charlestown, yeoman, with Jane his wife releasing dower Samuel Rice of Charlestown, gentleman 549/261 (South)
September 25, 1850 Mortgage James P. Rice of Billerica, farmer Samuel Rice of Lexington, trader 594/357 (South)
September 25, 1850 Warranty Deed Samuel Rice of Lexington, trader, with Eliza his wife James P. Rice of Billerica, farmer 594/359 (South)
March 26, 1851 Warranty Deed James P. Rice of Billerica, with Jane his wife releasing dower Henry Sperry of Billerica, yeoman 605/38 (South)
March 19, 1851 Mortgage James P. Rice of Billerica, farmer, with Jane his wife Samuel Rice of Lexington, trader 605/323 (South)
1852 Warranty Deed Henry Sperry of Billerica, trader, with Mehitable P. Sperry his wife John H. Keyes of Boston, gentleman 624/472 (South)
April 3, 1858 Warranty Deed John H. Keyes of Boston and Mary his wife, by David B. Keyes of Billerica, their attorney Eben Haskell of Boston 14/5
1864 Warranty Deed Eben Haskell of Billerica and Fanny his wife Charles J. Atkinson of Chelsea 36/505
1864 Mortgage Charles J. Atkinson of Boston Eben Haskell of Billerica, yeoman 36/507
1865 Warranty Deed Benjamin J. Gilbert of Boston William K. Phelps of Boston 46/185
September 3, 1872 Release of Dower Matilda S. Phelps of Boston, widow of William K. Phelps Frederick Dickson (Dixon) of Arlington 88/443
September 3, 1872 Guardian's Deed Matilda S. Phelps of Boston, guardian of Mary Ella and Annie Melissa Phelps, minor children of William K. Phelps Frederick Dickson (Dixon) of Arlington 88/443
June 3, 1875 Warranty Deed Frederick Dickson (Dixon) of Billerica Charles H. Stackpole of Billerica 110/397
June 14, 1875 Mortgage Charles H. Stackpole of Billerica Isabella F. Randlett of Billerica 110/526
March 1, 1883 Warranty Deed Charles H. Stackpole of Billerica, unmarried John M. Bailey of Woonsocket, Rhode Island 158/299
May 2, 1885 Right of Way Grant John M. Bailey of Billerica, with Phebe J. his wife releasing dower and homestead Boston and Lowell Railroad Corporation 173/398
November 17, 1885 Discharge of Mortgage Joseph Steele, executor of the will of Isabella F. Steele (formerly Randlett) John M. Bailey of Billerica 177/559
November 17, 1885 Mortgage John M. Bailey, then of Washington County, Virginia P. D. Howe of Billerica 177/560
August 15, 1901 Administratrix's Deed Phebe J. Bailey of Billerica, administratrix of the estate of John M. Bailey Frederic A. Fisher of Lowell 332/373
August 15, 1901 Quitclaim Frederic A. Fisher of Lowell, unmarried Phebe J. Bailey of Billerica, widow of John M. Bailey 332/374
August 15, 1921 Executor's Deed John C. Cosseboom of Woonsocket, Rhode Island, executor of the will of Phebe J. (Jennie J.) Bailey Cassius W. White and Mabel S. White of Billerica, husband and wife 648/412
November 18, 1941 Quitclaim Deed Mabel S. White of Billerica, widow of Cassius W. White George S. Flint of Billerica 970/518
November 18, 1941 Mortgage George S. Flint of Billerica Lowell Co-operative Bank 970/519
September 9, 1946 Quitclaim Deed (line strip) George S. Flint of Billerica, with Lydia M. Flint his wife releasing dower and homestead Lena Estelle Liberty of Billerica 1052/374
December 28, 2020 Quitclaim Deed Private owners JM & SH Realty, LLC 35110/186
February 18, 2022 Taking (easements) Owners of land abutting Boston Road (Route 3A) Town of Billerica, by its Select Board 36829/239

Recorded is Book/Page at the Middlesex North Registry of Deeds unless noted; Probate # is a Middlesex probate case, Ctf a Land Court certificate of title.